Opera Scotland

Bells The Bells - Choral Symphony, op35; Kolokola

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Music

Sergey Rachmaninov (born Semyonovo, 1 April 1873; died Beverly Hills, 28 March 1943).

Text

Konstantin Balmont (translator)

Source

Poem The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe

 

Premieres

First Performance: St Petersburg, 1913.

First Performance in UK: Liverpool 1921.

First Performance in Scotland: Edinburgh (Usher Hall), 8 September 1975 (possibly earlier).

 

Background

Rachmaninov's attractive choral symphony based on a Russian translation of Poe, is in four movements, each representing a metal from which bells might be cast. Gold and Silver are naturally rather more lightweight than Bronze or Iron. The big orchestra, large mixed chorus and three soloists give the rapidly developing composer plenty of scope to let his imagination flow.